Yellow battery means your iPhone is in Low Power Mode

The yellow battery icon on your iPhone appears when Low Power Mode is turned on. This is a setting you can enable yourself, or your phone may set up it automatically when the battery drops to 20 percent. When Low Power Mode is active, your iPhone reduces performance and limits background activity to extend how long the battery lasts before you need to charge.

The yellow colour is straightforward a visual signal — it tells you at a glance that your phone is running in a reduced-power state. Everything still works, but some features run slower or less frequently than normal.

Key Takeaways

  • A yellow battery icon means Low Power Mode is on, either because you turned it on manually or your iPhone activated it automatically at 20 percent battery.
  • Low Power Mode slows down performance, reduces background app refresh, and limits some visual effects to make your battery last longer.
  • You can turn Low Power Mode on or off yourself at any battery level through Settings or Control Center.
  • The yellow icon disappears once you disable Low Power Mode or charge your phone above 80 percent if it was set to auto-enable.

How Low Power Mode changes what your iPhone does

When Low Power Mode is on, your iPhone makes several changes to save battery. Background app refresh slows down — apps stop checking for new messages or updates as often. Mail stops fetching new messages automatically and only checks when you open the app. Visual effects like animations and transitions become simpler. Some features, like Hey Siri voice set up, may not work until you disable Low Power Mode.

Performance itself drops slightly. Apps may take a moment longer to open, and processing tasks happen at a slower speed. This is intentional — the phone is prioritising battery life over speed. For most everyday tasks like texting, calling, or browsing, you will not notice much difference. For demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, the slowdown becomes more obvious.

Charging speed may also be affected. If you charge while Low Power Mode is on, the charge may be slower than usual, though this varies by iPhone model and charger type.

How to turn Low Power Mode on or off

You can control Low Power Mode two ways. The fastest is through Control Center: swipe down from the top right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones), find the battery icon, and tap it. The icon will turn yellow when Low Power Mode is on and return to green or black when it is off.

The second way is through Settings. Open Settings, tap Battery, then tap Battery Saver (on newer iPhones) or Low Power Mode (on older models), and toggle it on or off. This same menu shows you the current battery percentage and lets you see which apps are using the most power.

You can turn Low Power Mode on at any battery level — you do not have to wait until your battery is low. Some people turn it on intentionally when they know they will be away from a charger for a long time.

When your iPhone turns on Low Power Mode automatically

By default, most iPhones are set to turn on Low Power Mode automatically when the battery reaches 20 percent. On some newer models, you can change this threshold to 10 percent or turn off auto-enable entirely. To adjust this, go to Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Saver, and choose your preferred setting.

Once your battery charges above 80 percent, Low Power Mode turns off automatically if it was enabled by the auto-trigger. If you turned it on manually, it stays on until you turn it off yourself, even after charging.

Why the yellow icon appears and disappears

Apple uses the yellow colour to make Low Power Mode when ready recognisable without reading text. The icon changes from green (normal battery, good health) or black (normal battery, low charge) to yellow specifically to signal that the phone is in a power-saving state. This visual distinction helps you understand why your phone might feel slightly slower or why certain features are not working as expected.

The yellow icon disappears the moment Low Power Mode turns off. If you disabled it manually, the icon changes when ready. If your phone auto-disabled it because you charged above 80 percent, the icon will vanish once the charge level crosses that threshold.

What to do if Low Power Mode is on and you do not want it

If you see the yellow battery icon and did not turn on Low Power Mode yourself, your battery is probably at or near 20 percent. The fastest fix is to charge your phone. Once it reaches 80 percent, Low Power Mode will turn off automatically and the yellow icon will disappear.

If you want to turn it off when ready without waiting to charge, open Control Center and tap the battery icon, or go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and toggle it off. Your phone will return to normal performance right away.

Other battery icons and what they mean

Your iPhone shows different battery icons depending on the state of your phone. A green battery icon means your phone is plugged in and charging. A black or white battery icon (depending on your iPhone model and iOS version) means your phone is running normally on battery power with no power-saving mode active. A red battery icon means your battery is critically low, usually below 5 percent, and your phone may shut down soon.

The yellow icon is the only one that signals Low Power Mode specifically. If you see any other colour or symbol, it refers to charging status or battery health rather than power-saving settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Low Power Mode damage my battery?

No. Low Power Mode does not harm your battery. It actually reduces strain by lowering the power draw. Using Low Power Mode regularly can help your battery stay healthier over time because it reduces the number of full discharge cycles.

Can I use my iPhone normally with Low Power Mode on?

Yes. All features work with Low Power Mode on — calls, texts, apps, and internet all function normally. Some tasks are slightly slower, and background activity is reduced, but you can use your phone exactly as you would otherwise.

Will the yellow battery icon go away if I charge my phone?

If Low Power Mode was turned on automatically, yes — it will turn off once your battery reaches 80 percent. If you turned it on manually, you need to disable it yourself through Control Center or Settings, even after charging.

Why does my iPhone keep turning on Low Power Mode?

Your phone is set to auto-enable it at 20 percent battery. If this happens frequently, you are draining your battery quickly. Check Settings > Battery to see which apps use the most power, or consider charging more often. You can also change the auto-enable threshold to 10 percent in Battery Saver settings.

Is Low Power Mode the same as airplane mode?

No. Low Power Mode reduces performance and background activity but keeps your phone connected to the network. Airplane Mode turns off all wireless connections — cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. They are separate settings with different purposes.